Bobby Bones’ band headlining Route 91 fest
The Kats! Bureau at this writing is the KUNV 91.5-FM studios at UNLV, inside of which I record my weekly radio show that airs at 8 p.m. Wednesdays. Find it on the Twitters and Facebooks, too.
This week’s guest is Las Vegas success story Jason Egan, founder of the FrightDome Halloween spectacular at Circus Circus. Egan is celebrating his 15th anniversary this season, and celebrates his VIP opening Friday night.
Egan’s fortress of six haunted houses, innumerable “scare zones” and thrill rides became a real thing in 2004, a year after it opened when Michael Jackson and his kids toured the attraction. “I’m normally not star-stuck, but that was incredible,” Egan said at the time.
More from the scene:
Roll the Bones
Eric Church, Sam Hunt and Jason Aldean are the triumvirate of superstar headliners for this year’s Route 91 Harvest at Las Vegas Village. But the act I’m most eagerly awaiting is the esteemed Bobby Bones, host of the fittingly titled “The Bobby Bones Show,” syndicated across the U.S. on iHeartRadio stations airing on KWNR-FM 95.5-FM (The Bull) in VegasVille.
Bones’ show is the top-rated country-music show in the U.S., reaching 3 million listeners each morning, and he’s been dubbed “The Most Powerful Man in Country Music” by Forbes magazine.
But for this weekend, we just wanna hear Bones’ band, The Raging Idiots, which hits the Main Stage at Route 91 at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The act at once side-splitting funny and musically serious, and has locked in a rarefied spot just ahead of Maren Morris and Hunt, the night’s closer and headliner.
“I was looking at the schedule and kept looking lower, and lower, until I found us at 6:30 and went, ‘What! Oh, this is exciting!” “ Bones says. “But we’re bringing a band stacked with great artists who are just breaking through.”
Bones has a distinct Buddy Holly look with customized Ray-Ban frames and thick prescription lenses. It’s not just an image-driven accessory. Bones is actually blind in his right eye, and color blind in his left. (Bones’ TV production company, Right Side Blind, hints to this condition.)
“I can barely read off a prompter whenever I do TV work,” he says. “I either memorize what I need to say, or just go.” That “just go” strategy works for Bones, and also his fellow Idiots.
Charity-lounge action
The late-night hotspot at 8:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Friday will be Tuscany’s Piazza Lounge, where bandleader Kenny Davidsen and I are co-hosting the second annual Real Men Wear Pink lounge hang to raise money for the American Cancer Society. We are simply passing around a tip bowl, or maybe a hat, to raise money for the annual Real Men Wear Pink campaign, of which I am a proud member.
The theme is Songs About Drinking, ironically because I don’t drink — but if we raise enough money I’ll sing “Hey Bartender,” or something.
The real singers on the bill — and wow is this a lineup — include Jassen Allen, Anne Martinez, Ashley Fuller, Bucky Heard, Adrian Zmed, Al Bernstein, Enoch Augustus Scott, Justin Michael Rodriguez, Lannie Counts, Joe DiNunzio, Kim Wood, Kevin Mullinax, Sandra Huntsman and Armi Guzman, among others. Davidsen (wearing his ever-present bowtie) will be backed by bandmates David Ramirez and Bill Pearce. Be there, and bring your foldin’ money.
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
